Liquid dispenser



March 15, 1938.

H. C. ALLEN LIQUID DISPENSER Filed April 20, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet l March 15, 1938. H. `C ALLEN l 2,111,040

LIQUID DISPENSER Filed April 2o, 193e 5 sheets-sheet 2 lo /NVENTOR Hom/ARD C. ,4L/ EN ATTORNEY March 15, 193.8o H. c. ALLEN 2,111,040

LIQUID DISPENSER Filed April 2O 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 JNVE/VTOR HowARa C. ALLEN ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 15, 1938 2,lll,04@

PATENT OFFiCE LIQUID DISPENSER Howard Charles Allen, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Application April 20, 1936, Serial No. 75,311

l2 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in liquid dispensers which are particularly adapted for use in serving beer and other carbonated foaming drinks. The objects of the invention are to provide a machine capable of filling drinking glasses as fast as the average operator can handle them; to provide means whereby refrigeration of the dispenser is unnecessary even during slack periods when the draw off is taken at lengthy intervals, by draining the liquid back to the barrel in the cold room; to provide means for complete washing out of the dispenser when desired, and to provide automatic means for maintaining a predetermined gas pressure upon the liquid in the dispenser when not discharging.

The invention consists essentially of a reserve tank, a measuring vessel, means for maintaining a predetermined pressure in the tank and the measuring vessel, and means for transferring liquid from the tank to the vessel and from the vessel to discharge, as will be more fully described in the following specification and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a sectional View taken half on the line o I-I and half on the line I-IA of Figure 2.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional View taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

f. Fig. 4 is a detail view of the operating lever stop mechanism.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each figure.

For the purpose of clarity certain parts have been omitted from some of the gures.

The numeral I indicates a casing having front and rear walls respectively numbered 2 and 3, and side walls 4 and 5. In the upper part of the casing a feed tank 6 is formed, which is provided with a top closure l and a bottom wall Il. Below the feed tank, measuring devices 9 are provided, which are coupled together for alternate operation by a rock shaft II) from a lever I i which is conveniently disposed to one side of the casing I. The measuring devices 9 are identical in general construction, but oppositely arranged as to disposition of their elements.

'Ihe measuring devices 9 consist of chambers I2 and I 2A, having top closures I3 and I3A and bottom closures I4 and I4A. A transfer pipe i5 leads from the bottom wall 8 of the feed tank 6 to ported passages I 6 and ISA formed in the bottom closure. Spring closed inlet valves Il and I'IA are interposed between the passages E5 and IGA and the chambers I2 and 12A respectively.

Stand pipes I8 and H3A extend downwards from above the maximum liquid level of the feed tank to ports I9 and ISA and spring closed foam valves 29 and 28A are coupled with the valves Il and ITA and are interposed between the chambers I2 and I2A and ports I9 and ISA. The valves il and 2@ and the Valves I'IA and 23A are alternately opened by forks 2! and 2| A mounted upon the rock shaft Il?. Spring closed discharge valves 22 and 22A communicate between the chambers I2 and IEA respectively and a ported passage 23 which leads to a discharge spout 24. Spring closed relief valves 25 and 25A communicate between the chambers I 2 and IZA and the atmosphere and are adapted to be thrust open by the valves 22 and 22A respectively almost immediately after these latter valves have been raised to open by fingers 26 and 26A extending from the rock shaft I0.

The feed tank 6 is supplied with beer, under suitable CO2 pressure from below, through a feed pipe 3i] which extends to a point above the maximum liquid level in said tank and is provided at its free end with a float valve 3! which closes when a predetermined level is reached. A branch 32 leads from the feed pipe through a valve 33 to the bottom of the tank, the purpose of which will hereinafter be described.

Gas pressure is provided for the interior of the feed tank from a CO2 pipe 34, see Figure 3, which branches out from a T 35 to a pipe 36 leading into the feed tank and provided with a normally open valve 3l which is opened by a float 3S when a minimum reserve of liquid has entered the tank through the pipe 30, the gas passing through the 3 float valve 3l to a pressure control valve generally indicated by the numeral 39.

The pressure control valve 39 is provided with a standard il supporting a cylinder 4I through which a stem 42 extends. The stem is fitted at its base with a valve closure 43 and at its upper end. with a button 44 abutting a flexible diaphragm 45. The stem 42 is urged upwardly by a spring 4t of suitable tension, so that when the pressure within the tank is below normal, while a normal liquid reserve is in the tank, the spring 46 will urge the diaphragm upwards and lift the closure valve 43 off its seat to allow the gas pressure in the tank to be raised. Obviously when the pressure is raised to normal, the pressure on the upper surface of the diaphragm will be great enough to close the valve 43.

Extending from the opposite end of the T 35 and preferably formed integrally therewith, is a Valve 4l from which a branch pipe 48 extends through the bottom wall 8 to a point adjacent the top closure 1 of the tank 6.

A stand pipe 49 extends downwardly through the tank 6 from above the maximum liquid level and is tted at its lower end with a blow off or safety valve 50. This safety valve is only relied upon to function under abnormally high pressure Within the system and forms no essential part of the invention. Extending downwardly throughthe tank and into the casing I is an air relief pipe 5| which is fitted with a valve 52 which is closed by a float 53 when the minimum liquid reserve is in the tank the valve is therefore normally closed. At the base of the pipe 5| is a normally open valve 54 having a stem 55 which on being raised closes the valve against gas relief from the tank.

Mounted horizontally adjacent the wall 4 is a shaft 56 which extends through one wall of the casing and is fitted with a hand lever 51. Secured upon the shaft within the casing are three cams 58, 59 and 60, which are respectively adapted to engage the stems of the valves 54, 41 and 33 when the lever 51 is rocked.

Pivotally mounted upon one of the casing walls is a bell crank 6| having a horizontal leg 62 which extends below the stem of the valve 54 and having a vertical leg provided with a slot 63 through which the crank is operatively connected by a pull rod 64 extending through the casing wall so that when the rod is pulled outwardly the valve 54 is closed, thus shutting off the air relief pipe 5| and the interior of the tank 6 from communication with the atmosphere irrespective of the float valve 52.

The operation of filling either of the chambers I2 or I2A is accomplished in the movement of the hand lever II from the end of its stroke back to a vertical or normal position, and so that the lever may not be moved say from its extreme right position to normal and then back to right again, I provide a stop mechanism such as is shown in Figure 4 in which 65 indicates a quadrant secured to the shaft I0 having arcuate shoulders 66 and stops 61 and 61A. In the centre of the quadrant a projection 68 is formed having opposed apertures providing a centre lug 69 and side lugs 10 and 10A. Two brackets 1| and 1|A are mounted from the casing I between which brackets the quadrant 65 is adapted to rock. Each of these brackets slidably supports a plunger 12 and 12A, these two plungers are provided with enlarged outer ends 13 and 13A respectively and knobs 14 at their inner ends which are adapted to be engaged by the lugs of the quadrants. Slidable vertically of the quadrants are keepers 15 and 15A which are provided adjacent their upper ends with key hole slots 16 having their enlarged parts uppermost and of such size as to accommodate the enlarged outer ends 13 and 13A of their respective plungers 12 and 12A, While their narrower portions embrace the intermediate portions of said plungers.

The quadrant as shown in Figure 4 is in normal or centre position indicated by the dotted line C and has been brought there on the last movement of the lever from the position indicated by the dotted line R, therefore the keeper 15A being disengaged by the plunger enlargement 13A has dropped onto the stop 61A and the quadrant and lever are prevented from being moved back to the position R and must necessarily be moved next towards the dotted line position L.

In moving the lever to the L position, the stop 61A raises the keeper 15A so that when the lug 10A engages the plunger 12A and draws its enlargement 13A into the enlarged portion of the key hole slot of the keeper 15A, it retainsI said keeper in raised position free from the shoulder 66 of the quadrant. The final movement of the quadrant to the L position causes the lug 69 to drive the plunger enlargement 13 out of the enlarged portion of the key hole slot of the keeper 15, thus allowing said keeper to ride on the shoulder 66 and as the lever is returned to C position to drop to the slot 61, thus preventing the levers return until it has completed its movement to the R position.

In operating the dispenser, assuming the tank 6 to be empty, the float valve 31 on the CO2 branch pipe 36 will be closed and the oat valve 3| on the beer feed pipe will be open, and since there will be no gas pressure in the tank the pressure controlled valve 42 will be open. On gas pressure being applied to the beer supply below the machine and the main beer line valve, not shown, being opened, beer will rise through the pipe 30 and the open valve 3| into the tank. Air in the tank will be purged out through the open iioat valve 52, the pipe 5| and the open valve 54 to atmosphere. When the minimum reserve level is reached in the tank, the float 53 will have risen, closing the valve 52, thus closing the system and allowing the incoming beer to build up a pressure. It should be here pointed out that normally the same gas pressure, when admitted to the tank, will be the same as that supplied to the top of the supply barrel. The beer will flow into the tank until the pressure therein is equal to that in the barrel less the static head of beer between the barrel and the valve 3|.

When the liquid level is raised to a predetermined point, the float valve 3| will close, thus shutting off further entry of beer to the tank 6. Assuming that a new keg of wild beer is tapped and that after filling an undue pressure develops from the occluded gas in the beer, the safety valve 50 will open and purge the system of the excess pressure, so that undue foaming will not take place when beer is admitted to either of the measuring chambers I2 and |2A.

Assuming that the hand lever I is moved from normal to the L position, the fork 2| will cause the inlet valve I1 and the foam valve 20 to open, so that beer from the tank 6 may flow by gravity through the pipe |5 into the chamber |2 and allow any foam forming during lling to pass through the valve 20 into the pipe I8 where it may condense to flow back later on a subsequent opening of said valve. This will ll the chamber I2 in which the beer will be held on the closing of said valves incidental to the return of the lever to normal or C position. When the lever is moved over in the opposite direction, to the R position, the chamber |2A will be filled in a, similar manner to that above described and simultaneously finger 26 will open the valves 22 and 25. It will be noticed that due to the gap between the stems of these two valves, the valve 25 will lag slightly behind the valve 22 in opening, so that the chamber I2 will commence to discharge with the opening of the valve 22 and will continue to discharge by gravity as soon as the valve 25 opens. The movement of the lever from normal position to the end of its stroke will therefore cause one chamber to fill and one to discharge and the return of the lever to normal will close all the valves leading to and from said chambers, so that lever movement in the opposite direction will fill the chamber last discharged and discharge the chamber last nlled.

During slack periods, in order that the beer in the tank may not assume room temperature, it is desirable to return it to the source of supply which is kept in a cold room or otherwise chilled. To do this, the lever is rocked, thus rocking the cams 58, 59 and 60 and operating the valves 54 and 41 and 33 in the order named. This valve movement first closes the air relief pipe 5|, next admits gas through the pipe 48 to the top of the tank and subsequently, though this may be arranged to take place simultaneously, establishing communication between the beer feed pipe 30, the branch 32 and the bottom of the tank 6. The beer is then permitted to flow downwards through the valve 33, back to the source of supply by gravity since the gas pressure at the tank and the source of supply are now equal. As soon as the lever 5'? is returned to normal position, the tank becomes relieved of pressure through the valve 5?. and the pressure from below will again cau-se the beer to enter and ll it to the point determined by the float valve 3l.

The system is washed out by forcing water through it from a feed pipe Tl and a wash out pipe "I8 and also by operating the lever i l.

Should it be desired for any reason to empty the system without returning the beer in the tank back to the source of supply, the rod B4 is pulled outwardly, thus closing the valve 54, the flow from the source of beer supply would be shut off and the lever Il manipulated in the usual manner. In this way gas would enter the feed tank to prevent any subatmospheric pressure developing during discharge through the discharge passage 23.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A drink dispenser comprising a seale-d tank having an inlet and being adapted to be fed from a source of liquid supply, means for admitting liquid to the tank up to a normal level, a measuring chamber connected to said tank, said chamber having an inlet valve communicating between the chamber and the tank, a foam valve communicating between the chamber and the tank above the normal liquid level and a discharge valve for discharging the liquid from the chamber and a lever for operating the valves of the chamber.

2. A drink dispenser comprising a sealed tank having an inlet an-d being adapted to be fed from a source or" liquid supply, means for admitting liquid to the tank up to a normal level, a measuring chamber connected to said tank, said chamber having an inlet valve communicating between the chamber and the tank, a foam valve communicating between the chamber and the tank above the normal liquid level and a discharge valve for discharging the liquid from the chamber and a lever for operating the valves of the chamber and a relief valve operable in conjunction with the discharge valve for admitting atmospheric air to the chamber when said diccharge valve is opened.

3. A drink dispenser comprising a sealed tank having an inlet and being adapted to be fed from a source of liquid supply, means for admitting liquid to the tank up to a normal level, a measuring chamber connected to said tank, said chamber having an inlet valve communicating between the chamber and the tank, a foam valve communicating between the chamber and the tank above the normal liquid level and a discharge valve for discharging the liquid from the chamber and a lever for operating the valves of the chamber, said lever being adapted when moved in one direction to Open the inlet valve and the foam valve and when moved in the opposite direction to open the discharge valve.

4. A drink dispenser comprising a sealed tank having an inlet and being adapted to be fed from a source of supply, means for admitting liquid to the tank up to a normal level, a measuring chamber connected with the tank, valve means having a unitary operating lever for delivering liquid from the tank to the chamber and for discharging the liquid from the chamber, a pipe communicating between the upper part of the chamber and the tank above the liquid line, and a valve controlling the flow through said pipe, said valve being adapted for operation by said operating lever.

5. A drink dispenser comprising a sealed tank adapted to be filled from a source of supply under gas pressure, a measuring chamber in communication with said tank and a valve mechanism for admitting liquid from the tank to the chamber and for discharging the said liquid therefrom, said tank having a liquid inlet pipe controlled by a float valve, a gas inlet pipe and means for closing off the gas inlet pipe when a predetermined pressure is developed in said tank.

6. A drink dispenser comprising a sealed tank adapted to be lled from a source of supply under gas pressure, a measuring chamber in communication with said tank and a Valve mechanism for admitting liquid from the tank to the chamber and for discharging the said liquid therefrom, said tank having a liquid inlet pipe controlled by a float valve, a gas inlet pipe and a float valve to sai-d gas inlet pipe for shutting off the gas pressure until a predetermined quantity of liquid is admitted to the tank.

7. A drink dispenser comprising a normally sealed tank, a measuring chamber connected with the tank, a valve mechanism for admitting liquid from the tank to the chamber for passing air or foam from the chamber to the tank as the chamber lls and for discharging liquid from the chamber, a oat valve controlled liquid inlet to the tank to admit liquid under pressure, a gas inlet pipe to the tank, and means for admitting gas through said pipe to maintain a predetermined pressure when the liquid in the tank is within predetermined levels, and means` for closing off said pressure and opening the tank to atmospheric pressure when the liquid is below a predetermined level.

8. In a dispenser of liquid normally under pressure and having a feed tank, a measuring chamber below said feed tank, a liquid inlet valve communicating between the tank and the chamber, a relief valve between the tank and the chamber, a discharge valve for withdrawing the liquid from the chamber, and a valve for admitting atmospheric air to the chamber when the discharge valve is open, said discharge valve being arranged to open prior to the opening of the air admitting valve.

9. In a dispenser of liquid normally under pressure and having a feed tank, a measuring chamber below said feed tank, a liquid inlet valve communicating between the tank and the chamber, a relief valve between the tank and the chamber, a discharge valve for withdrawing the liquid from the chamber, and a valve for admitting atmospheric air to the chamber when the discharge valve is open, said discharge valve being arranged to open prior to the opening of the air admitting valve, and unitary means for operating all of said valves.

10. In a dispenser of liquid normally under pressure and having a feed tank, a measuring chamber below said feed tank, a liquid inlet valve communicating between the tank and the chamber, a relief valve between the tank and the chamber, a discharge valve for withdrawing the liquid from the chamber, and a valve for admitting atmospheric air to the chamber when the discharge valve is open, said discharge valve being arranged to open prior to the opening of the air admitting valve, a lever adapted to open the valves communicating between the tank and the chamber simultaneously when moved in one direction and to open the discharge and air admitting valves when moved in the opposite direction.

11. In a drink dispenser having two measuring chambers each having an inlet and a discharge valve, a rock shaft operatively connected to the valves of each chamber, said rock shaft having a normal neutral position and being adapted when moved to one side of neutral position to open the inlet to ll one chamber and when moved to the opposite side of the neutral position to open the inlet valve to fill the second chamber and to open the Valve to discharge the previously filled chamber, and means preventing the rock shaft to be moved in the same direction from neutral in successive movements.

12. In a drink dispenser having two measuring chambers each having an inlet and a discharge valve, a rock shaft operatively connected to the valves of each chamber, said rock shaft having a normal neutral position and being adapted when moved to one side of neutral position to open the inlet to fill one chamber and when moved to the opposite side of the neutral position to open the inlet valve to fill the second chamber and to open the valve to discharge the previously lled chamber, and means preventing the rock shaft to be moved in the same direction from neutral in successive movements, said means comprising a quadrant secured to the shaft, said quadrant having opposing arcuate shoulders and stops, a support adjacent each end of the quadrant, a pair of keepers carried by the supports adapted to be actuated by the quadrants, one of said keepers being adapted to be raised as the quadrant moves in one direction towards neutral position and the other keeper being adapted to slide along an arcuate shoulder and as the quadrant returns to neutral position to engage the stop and prevent said quadrant from returning over its former movement until it has been moved beyond neutral position and to the limit of its stroke in a direction opposite to the first mentioned stroke.

HOWARD CHARLES ALLEN. 

